Mechanism for transferring stitches from needles of knitting-machines.



L. N. D. WILLIAMS. 7 MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING STITCHES FROM NEEDLES 0F KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-24.1916. 1,245,546, Patented Nov; 6, 1917.

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APPLICATION FILED IAN.24. I916.

Patented Nov. 6, I917.

LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS, 0F OGONTZ, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING STITCHES FROM NEEDLES 0F KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Application filed January 24, 1916. Serial No. 73,878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS N. D.W1LL1AMs, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ogontz, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Mechanism for Transferring Stitches from Needles of Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists of a certain im provement on that forming the subject of my Letters Patent No. 1,127,337, dated February 2, 1915, the object of my present inventi on being to permit of the release of the terminal course of a knitted web from the needles which produced it, before the application of a set of stitch transfer points to the stitches of a course preceding said terminal course for the purpose of removing i the knitted web from the machine.

This object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse section of sufficient of a circular knitting machine to illustrate the us; of my invention in connection therewith;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are like sectional views of parts of the same illustrating successive stages in the operation of removing the knitted web from the machine;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of part of one of the elements of the transfer device;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to part of Fig. 2, but illustrating a modification of one feature of the invention, and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 5 of the corresponding element of the modified device.

In order to avoid confusion, no attempt has been made in the drawing to show the knitted web in the distance, or to show in the distance needles or web holders except where they project above the upper edge of the web.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 represents the needle cylinder of the machine, 2 the needles, 3 the needle actuating cam ring, 4 the hooked web holders, 5 the annular ed in which said web holders are mounted so as to be free to slide radially, and 6 the web holder actuating cam ring whereby such radial reciprocating motion is imparted'to said web holders.

In carrying out the invention constituting the subject of my Letters Patent 1,127,337, a series of transfer points was engaged with the stitches of a course preceding the terminal course of the web while saidterminal course was still held upon the needles which produced it, said terminal course being cast from the needles after the engagement of the points with the stitches of the previous course. In some cases, however, it is advisable that the terminal course of stitches be cast from the needles before the engagement of the transfer points with the stitches of the previous course, and in order that this may be done I clamp the web adjacent to the needles so that said web may be held in proper position for the engagement of the transfer points with the proper course of the web after the terminal course has been cast from the needles.

One means for the attainment of this result is to mount the transfer points 7 in a 'carrier 8 longitudinally movable within a clamping ring 9 which has a key 10 projecting both outwardly and inwardly therefrom, the outwardly projecting portion of the key fitting between adjoining raised needles 2 of the machine and the inwardly projecting portion projecting between adjoining transfer points 7 so that when said ring is applied to the raised needles 2, as shown in Fig. 1, it will properly register the transfer points 7 each with its respective needle.

The ring 9 has a notched or serrated lower edge, the projecting members of which fit between adjoining web holders 4 when the ring is depressed, as shown in Fig. 2, so as toclamp the web between said projecting members and the top of the cylinder 1 and thereby retain said web in proper position upon the cylinder after the needles have been depressed so as to cast the terminal stitches therefrom, as alsoshown in Fig. 2, the trans- Instead of clamping the web to the top of the cylinder by means of the ring 9the latter may, if desired, be employed simply as a means of properly registeri the transfer points 7 with the needles an guiding said.

points as they are thrust into engagement with the stitches of the web, and in Fig. 6 I have illustrated such a construction, the clamping of the web in this case being effected by means of a ring 12 disposed within the needle cylinder :2 and capable of vertical movement in respect thereto, the upper end of thisring being notched, as shown in Fig. 7, so as to provide fingers which project between the web holders 4 and, when the ring is raised, impart corresponding lift to the knitted web and press the sinker wales of the same upwardly against the hooks of the web holders so as to retain said web in proper position while the stitches of the terminal course are being freed from the needles and the stitches of the preceding course are being engaged by the transfer points 7, the ring 12 being then lowered and the web holders 4 retracted so as to permit withdrawal of the web from the machine with the transfer points.

AlthoughI have illustrated the use of my invention in a circular knitting machine and although it is intended mainly for such use, it is not so limited but may be used as well in machines of other types, and the transfer points may be engaged with the web from below instead of from above, without departing from the essential feature of my invention.

The transfer points and the stitches of the web are, for ease of illustration, shown as of a much coarser gage than they would be in practice.

I claim: 1

1. The combination of a knitting machine, with means for clamping the knitted web at a point adjacent to the needles, and a set of transfer points for engaging stitches of a course of said web preceding the terminal course, whereby the stitches of said terminal course ma be cast from the needles before the application of the transfer points to the stitches of the preceding course.

2. The combination of a knitting machine, with means for clamping the knitted web at a point adjacent to the needles, and a set of transfer points for engaging stitches of a course of the web preceding the terminal course thereof, said points also engaging the web clamping device so as to be guided thereby in their movements from and toward the web.

3. The combination of the needles and web holders of a knitting machine, with a series of transfer points for engaging the stitches of a course of the web preceding the terminal course thereof, and means for clamping the web at a point adjacent to the needles, said clamping means being notched to project between the web holders.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS.

lVitnesses:

Learn A. BEADLE, HAMILTON D. TURNER. 

